said Jem, about a month later. "Never felt
so clean before in my life. Them hot baths is lovely, and if we could
get some tea and coffee, and a bit o' new bread and fresh butter now and
then, and I could get my Sally out here, I don't know as I should much
mind stopping."

"And what about the pot, Jem?"

"Tchah! That was all gammon. I don't b'lieve they ever did anything o'
the sort. When's Tomati coming back? Tomati, Jemmaree, Donni-Donni.
Pretty sort of a language. Why, any one could talk New Zealandee."

"I wish I could, Jem."

"Well, so you could if you tried. All you've got to do is to
riddle-me-ree the words a bit. I'm getting on first rate; and what I
like in these people is that they never laughs at you when you makes a
mistake."

They had been furnished with a snug hut, close to one of the
roughly-made hot water baths, and were fairly well supplied with food,
which they augmented by going out in Ngati's canoe, and catching
abundance of fish, to the Maori's great delight; for he gazed with
admiration at the skilful methods adopted by Jem, who was no mean
angler.

"And the best of the fun is, Mas' Don, that the fishes out here are so
stupid. They take any bait a'most, and taken altogether they're not
such bad eating. Wonder what shark would be like?"

Don shuddered, and they both decided that they would not care to try.

Ngati of the fiercely savage face and huge size proved to be one of the
most amiable of men, and was after them every morning, to go out in the
forest collecting fruit, or to dam up some stream to catch the
fresh-water fish, or to snare birds.

"He do cap me," Jem would say. "Just look at him, Mas' Don. That there
chap's six foot four at least, half as broad again across the chest as I
am, and he's got arms like a helephant, while to look at him with his
blue face you'd say he was 'bout the fiercest-looking fighting man you
ever see; and yet, when you come to know him inside, he's just like a
big boy, and so good-tempered I could do anything with him."

"And only the other day you looked upon him as quite an enemy."

"Ay, I did, Mas' Don, but I don't now. Them there artful birds is my
mortal enemies. They parrots and cockatoos is cunning and wicked
enough, but them little birds is imps, that's what they are."

Jem shook his head and frowned, and no more was said then, for they were
packing up a basket, and going up into the mountains to get fruit,
taking provisions